SPANKY
Age: 1 year
Weight: 65#
State: NH
Small Children Under 4?: no
Children Over 4?: yes
Separation Anxiety?: no
Neutered/UTD?:yes/yes
Microchipped?: yes
Other Dogs?: yes
Cats?: yes
Crate Trained?: yes
House Trained?: yes
Obedience Trained?: some
Leash Trained?: yes, gentle leader
Attending Obedience At Foster Home?: yes
Adoption Donation?: $250
12/29/03 Well Spanky keeps asking us when he will get to go to his forever home?
All of us at Boxingham are very surprised he was with us over the Christmas holidays, but in
a way that was a good thing.
Spanky continues to be a 'carpe diem' sort of dog. He greets each day with vim and vigor,
up when the rooster crows at 5.30 a.m. when he enjoys a run about with his two house
mates, "P" and "E".
He was very happy to hang out with the extended family on Boxing Day, and of course,
assisted in the preparation and cooking of celebratory dinner!
In spite of the veritible plethora of toys in the basket Spanky enjoys charging around with a
plastic tonic bottle as his toy of choice, without the plastic screw top lid I might add!!
He has progressed to cuddle time on the bed in the morning with Harry and I and our two
boxers, its a little crowded but they all love to snuggle first thing.
We are working on sleeping in the bedroom rather than his crate but he is pretty interested
in where the cats are sleeping too so has had to go into his crate for "night time" when
nobody was getting any shut eye :)
Spanky is THE MOST loveable gallute, a typical young boxer with energy plus and love to
give in abundance. His sheer exuberance is a joy, you cannot help but laugh at his comical
little face, when we sing his theme song, a rendition of the Pink Floyd song, Another Brick
In The Wall, his line is " hey....Spanky! leave those cats alone!"
If you're looking for a high energy, energetic young boy, Spanky his your dog.
Medical note, since he mis-judged the deck a few days ago, and side swiped his elbow he
does have a little swelling on that left joint. It doesn't appear to cause him pain and hasn't
enlarged so we keep a watchful eye and monitor it.
12/24/03 Well, it's almost Christmas, I am busy making stockings for the Boxers and of
course, one for Mr. Spanky too!
He continues to be focused on the cats, which prompts me to suggest he go to a home
either without cats, period, or ONLY with cats with "attitude" who won't take any guff from
him. Our grandma cat Clemmentine continues to tell him to back off which he respects-but
he continues to be overly interested in chasing Sunny, our sweet little rescued tabby girl.
Spanky has shown he likes to shower with whomever is in there. First you'll see the current
chewy toy droppped into the tub and his big beautiful head negotitating the shower curtain.
Then, the whole boxer body leaps in with you! We are continually amazed with his
predilection for water!!
I took Spanky on a shopping trip two days ago to test him in the car. He was wonderful.
I asked him to wait while I went to three different stores, and the supermarket. All told we
were out and about for two hours. He did just fabulously in the car, I wanted to see if he
would chew or rearrange anything while I was gone. I have a beanie baby velcroed to the
dashboard, CHEEKS the Baboon, apparently Spanky thought it very nice and did put
Cheeks on the seat with him but otherwise left him unchewed.
Today, Tuesday I brough him to work with me ( I work for the New Hampshire Humane
Society in Laconia). He has made friends with Zues the Cocker Spaniel belonging to a
colleauge here in administration, and is as I write this, sitting with the volunteers while they
eat their lunches.
He has conducted himself well and continues to make friends wherever he goes.
12/19/03 Spanky is assuredly a water spaniel in disguise, he will jump in the shower with
whomever is in there, he loves water. I bet he is an incredible swimmer?
Spanky is pictured sitting handsomely at the slider taken quite early in the morning, he does
like to get up early.
He sings when guitar music is played, and he enjoys hanging out with his friends,
Paco and Esmee.
12/17/03 Spanky has really settled in fabulously. He has bonded with Harry as his main
person. I on the other hand, I just come and go and feed him! He met two of our three
cats yesterday, face to face, even with lots of boxer shouting to get them to run,
Clemmentine "grandma" just sat on the bed and hissed at him, and Nelson "Black Dog"
gave him the look of distain! Spanky was so confused it was hilarious, he just stopped
barking and left the room! This of course bodes well with his re-introduction syllubus
regarding good behaviour with cats.
He absolutely adores Esmee, our little 44lb fawn Boxer. He has discovered the toy basket
and the selection of rubber toys. Will play fetch and retrieve until your arm drops off.
He has learned to sit at the slider to wait to be hooked to his runner, what a good boy.
The moment Harry sits down, Spanky does the 'nudge' from under the elbow and asks for
a cuddle. He is the most loveable dog and will be a great companion for whomever is lucky
enough to adopt him.
Incidentally his initial upset tummy has subsided. He is chowing on California Natural, pasta
and ground hamberger meat. I think we can hear him growing!
Pictures will be forthcoming
12/15/03 - Everyone was home today since we had a terrific snowstorm overnight. Spanky
thoroughly enjoys romping in the three foot snowdrifts. He has now mastered the 120foot
runner we have installed, and his interest in the great outdoors is wonderful to watch.
Spanky has graduated to eating with his boxer houseemates and has no food aggression
whatsoever. He is eating like a king, California Natural, with hamburger, pasta and breads.
He gives left paw, sits beautifully for anything resembling a treat.
He is the most loveable boy, very interested in cuddling and laying on your feet.
He learns quickly, OUT to stop overly rowdy or dominant play, OFF to stop jumping up
on people, or on the furniture. We are working on WAIT to forestall racing at the slider to
get outside. This boy is a pleasure to have, we doubt he will be staying long with us!
12/14/03 - Spanky arrived on Saturday December 13th from his former adoptive home.
These folks realized their time constraints did not allow him the attention he needs and
deserves. Needless to say, this copper brindle yearling is energy plus. He has natural ears,
lucky fellow, and of course, a docked tail. He has enormous feet!! All the better to do his
snow-dog impersonation. First day he didn't know what to think, he spent some quiet time
in his crate since he'd had an early start, a long drive, and a new household to fit into. We
all went to bed pretty early. Spanky has accepted his two housemates very well. Paco is
now the elder statesman at home who veiws the rowdy goings on as if he is just above it
all. Spanky has discovered an equally energetic playmate with our female Boxer Esmee.
We have found some issues with cats however and will be working on redirectly Spanky's
focus away from chasing. Interestingly enough, as we were talking about bathing him, his
coat was quite coarse and grubby; Spanky just hopped right in the shower with Harry! He
has been romping in the snow which has also glossied up his coat.